Random Thoughts

According to the Wall Street Journal, the Pentagon has told the services to plan on big increases in funding, mostly for spy and drone equipment, which are in terribly short supply right now, and would be of great value in Afghanistan. This proves again that the services, and the Navy especially, has a tendency to prepare for the war we just fought instead of the one we are about to fight. Someday, this attitude could get us in real trouble.

I keep hearing expressions of the fear that Afghanistan could turn into another Vietnam. Doesn’t anyone think that we learned anything from that fiasco? I know that I have said some less than praising things about the people who protested violently our involvement in Vietnam, and I’m not about to change that position. However, that generation is now in power, and caution can be a good thing. Outright fear, though, leads to paralysis. Somewhere there has to be a balance. The trick is to find it.

Another positive outcome from this war: the Navy is looking to resume live-firing exercises on Vieques Island. I’ve written on this one before, too, and I say again now, we should use the Vieques range until and unless someone, somewhere comes up with a better location, or a better system to determine the ability of our gunnery units and practice our trade.

Navy training remains some of the best available anywhere. In this case, it’s not because we have better training materials or better facilities, because generally, we don’t have better materials or facilities than any other training organization. Rather, it is because we have people who know their jobs, who can communicate the requirements of those jobs to the next generation, and students who want to learn.

Finally, Navy pay is really looking up. Another year where our pay raise matches or beats inflation, sea pay has been increased and the sea pay kicker is now built into the table. Most importantly to me (because I’ve been there), married E-3 and below are getting a special pay to help offset housing costs that they just can’t afford. Good, it’s about time we actually took a stand and got our new sailors with families off of welfare. If it were up to me (and it’s not) our E-1’s would make a living wage, and everyone else’s pay would be raised accordingly as well. One other thing, enlisted members with bachelor’s degrees who decide to stay enlisted should get an extra pay because of the extra value they can provide to their service.

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